No cause for alarm; Carpentersville water safe to drink

A pamphlet sent to Carpentersville residents regarding elevated lead levels in the village's water supply is not a cause for alarm, village officials said Wednesday.

It is the first time the water supply has exceeded lead levels since the village began testing for lead and copper in the early 1990s.

Village Manager Craig Anderson said while water samples taken from some homes did exceed the allowable lead level, there are no health risks to residents.

"There is nothing wrong with the water. People can drink the water," Anderson said. "These were isolated instances, but we are required to send the notice."

Water Superintendent Dean Gorter said the water samples were taken from homes built in the mid-1900s in the village's Old Town area. Gorter said homes in that area use lead pipes or copper pipes with lead soldering that could have potentially leach into the water.

"This is not a source-water issue, it's an issue at the house," Gorter said. "There is a minimal concern after running the water for anything, like flushing the toilet or changing water temperature."

The informational pamphlet sent to residents this week states that "the public water supply is currently exceeding the lead action level," allowed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The action level is 0.015 milligrams of lead per liter of water, the brochure states.

Gorter said of the 90 samples taken, results ranged from no detection to a home that had .392 milligrams of lead per liter of water in one sample. But two other samples taken from the same home did not detect lead, Gorter said.

Residents are asked to call Gorter at the water department at (847) 551-3492 with questions or concerns.